Chapter 3: The Badge That Should Not Exist
Nia had investigated hundreds of strange situations inside the airport.
Lost children.
Suspicious luggage.
False alarms.
Emergency evacuations.
But she had never heard a dispatcher sound afraid.
And she had never seen an old man collapse from hearing a name.
Arthur gripped the edge of a nearby chair.
“My son’s badge?””
Nia looked at him.
“Arthur, stay here.””
“No.””
His voice surprised her.
He stood slowly, using his cane.
“I waited years for answers.””
“Sir, this area may become restricted.””
Arthur looked toward Gate D24.
“Then I need to know what is behind that door.””
Nia wanted to argue.
Everything about the situation told her to slow down.
But Rex was already standing beside Arthur.
Waiting.
Like he had made his choice.
Nia touched her radio.
“Control, I’m investigating the alarm.””
She looked at Arthur.
“And I need medical support near Gate D24.””
“Copy.””
The three of them moved toward the restricted area.
The crowd watched.
Some people recognized the tension.
Others only saw an old man, a police officer, and a K9 walking toward a closed security door.
But Nia saw something else.
A question.
Why had Rex recognized Arthur?
Why had someone sent him the photograph?
And why was Daniel Carter’s badge showing up after years of being declared dead?
At the gate, a security scanner blinked red.
Nia examined the panel.
“No one is here.””
Arthur stared at the screen.
“Then how did it scan?””
Nia didn’t answer.
Because she didn’t know.
Rex suddenly stepped forward.
He pressed his nose near the bottom of the door.
Then he whined.
Arthur covered his mouth.
“That sound…”
Nia looked at him.
“What?””
“Daniel taught him that.””
“What sound?””
Arthur looked at Rex with tears forming again.
“That was the sound he made when he found someone.””
Nia felt her heartbeat increase.
She stepped closer to the door.
“Control, do we have camera footage?””
A voice answered through the radio.
“Pulling it now.””
Seconds passed.
Then the dispatcher spoke.
“Officer Carter…”
“Yes?””
“You need to see this.””
The monitor beside the security checkpoint turned on.
A camera feed appeared.
The hallway beyond the restricted gate was empty.
At first.
Then the timestamp changed.
Nia leaned closer.
“What am I looking at?””
The dispatcher hesitated.
“Zoom in.””
The image sharpened.
A person appeared at the far end of the hallway.
Walking slowly.
Carrying something.
Nia stared.
The person was too far away to identify.
But Arthur recognized the movement.
The way he walked.
The slight tilt of his shoulder.
The careful steps.
His cane slipped from his hand.
“No…”
Nia looked at him.
“Arthur?””
The old man couldn’t breathe.
“That’s impossible.””
The figure on the screen moved closer.
Closer.
The dispatcher spoke quietly.
“Officer Carter, we checked the badge record.””
Nia didn’t take her eyes off the screen.
“And?””
A pause.
Then:
“The badge belongs to Daniel Carter.””
Arthur’s face broke.
Tears fell down his cheeks.
“My son…”
The restricted door suddenly unlocked.
A loud click echoed through the terminal.
Everyone froze.
Rex moved forward.
Nia grabbed the leash.
“Stay.””
But the dog wasn’t looking at the door.
He was looking past it.
Waiting.
The door slowly began to open.
A shadow appeared on the other side.
Arthur whispered a name he hadn’t spoken in years.
“Daniel…”
Nia stared into the opening.
Her hand moved closer to her radio.
The figure stepped forward.
But before anyone could see the face, every screen in the terminal suddenly went black.
Rex pulled toward the darkness.
Arthur held the faded photograph against his chest.
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And Nia heard a voice from inside the restricted area say:
“Officer Carter… you were never supposed to find him.””
